Incidents

MV St. Thomas Aquinas

On August 16, 2013, at 9 pm as it approached Cebu City's harbor, the MV St. Thomas Aquinas, formerly SuperFerry 2[17] collided with the cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete of Sulpicio Lines and sank in 100 feet deep off Talisay, Cebu.[18] The ship was carrying 831 people—715 passengers and 116 crewmembers.[18] 629 people were rescued immediately and as of August 17, 2013, 31 bodies have been recovered leaving 172 unaccounted for.[18] The Sulpicio Express Siete with 36 crew members on board did not sink and returned safely to port.[18] It had a large hole in its bow above the water line, clearly visible in news photos.[18]